Monday, September 26, 2011

eBOOKS FOR KIDS? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I, Bobbi Phillips, am taking a 6 hour airplane ride with my 4 year old daughter and my 2 year old son to visit Grandpa. Am I crazy to attempt this?

The flight comes with a 45 minute layover to change planes in Chicago. Will we make it? Visions of racing down the middle of the terminal dance in my head.

I pray for no airport poops. Please, David, you seem to time the big event to convince me you will be the last child!

Because of the expensive $50 roundtrip baggage charge, I roll and stuff our things into one large expandable bag and lean my weight against it just to zip it. Annie carefully, puts Lucy, her beloved pink bear, into her tiny backpack.

During the two hour ride to the airport, I recalculate today’s food supply. Tiny bags of stale tasting pretzels just won’t do. Stuffed into the heavy carry on are things I know they will eat. Wish the choices were all healthy but at this junction today, I am opting for happy.

Before Bo Left for his second tour of Afghanistan, he felt he was surprising me with a color ebook reader to read in my spare time. What was he thinking? A full time job, two little ones, no husband for a year and he thinks he needs to fill my time? It was one of those times I could have won the Academy award, as I smiled and thanked him.

I vaguely remembered that he said he had loaded it with books for me and the children. What child reads ebooks??? God bless him, he was trying to help!

Last minute I threw the reader into my purse, hoping that the plane vibrations just might induce a simultaneous nap for the little squirmers, gifting me with a rare chance to read.

“Snowstorm in the east has delayed the flight to Boston for two hours” is the message that greets us in Chicago. I should have had the sense to wait until Spring!

We parade into the bookstore where I manage to trip an old lady with my

rolling carry on. This is not relaxing! Out of here!

Remembering the eReader I ask, “Hey guys, want to see some books Daddy sent you?”

“Daddy sent them?” Annie echos with wide eyes.

“Daddy, Daddy, Daddy," claps David.

Wow! Ten books! They choose one by one as we snuggle best we can in those stiff airport chairs. First story is about how much a Daddy loves his children. Their eyes are bright, mine are misty.

Then we read 'If Feet Could Talk' which makes us all giggle. “More, more!" they exclaim. I feel the lightness of the reader and find myself enjoying the ease of turning the pages with a press of a button.

Blessed by Bo’s Father’s gourmet cooking, I actually find time to read on this vacation. So special is one of the books Bo had loaded for me, 'The Notebook'. We had seen the movie together and I know it is his way of saying he will love me forever too.

I now realize how lucky I am to be able to carry a library with us in my purse and to give Grandpa his special time rereading the stories to his favorite children in his worn comfy recliner. “Daddy gave us those stories,” they tell him as the dear ones drift into slumber against his chest.

Thank you, Bo. Sometimes you really score!

BLOG by Kathleen Leatherbarrow, author of 'If Feet Could Talk', a children’s picture eBook. It is now available on Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com for $3.00. Story is voice enabled. Love to hear your feedback. Thanks.